Teaching Manifesto

My Teaching Manifesto

This manifesto was inspired by William Chamberlain’s Manifesto…

I promise to build relationships with my students. I will show them they are important by creating a relationship with them. I will talk and listen to them. I will not judge them by their believes and opinions, and I will ask them to do the same with me. I want every student to know they can have an honest conversation in and out of the classroom.

I promise to teach my students in a safe environment . I will do my best to create a classroom that is free of bullying. Each student will feel free to express themselves without the thought of humiliation or criticism. I will do my best to make every student feel at home in our classroom. When an incident arises, I will listen to both sides. I will hand out discipline with fairness and respect, not out of anger or annoyance.

I promise to teach my students to the best of my ability. I will do my best to meet the educational needs of all my students. I will do my best to challenge them creatively, and cognitively. I will create lessons that will stimulate their creative and cognitive skills, and yet are fun, exciting and memorable. I will do my best to choose topics that I think my students will enjoy, and I will listen to suggestions from my students on topics they have an interest in.

I promise to be more available to my students. I will give them my phone number, email address, Skype ID, Google Talk ID, and Twitter name. I will encourage them to communicate with me inside and outside of school. I will be available to help them with their education when they need help, not just during our class period.

I promise that I will be an advocate for my students. I will speak for them when others talk negatively about them. I will stand up for them when I feel like they need a helping hand. I will offer assistance to other teachers who have my students to help them meet their needs when they are in the regular classroom.

I promise to model learning to my students in my classroom. I promise to look for ways to improve my teaching for my students. I will be honest with them on what I do know and what I don’t. I will show them that I am an individual who is still learning things everyday. (Sometimes from them!) I will do my best to model the different types of learning in my classroom, and in my lessons.

I promise to take a stake in their future. I promise that I will continue to be a positive role model for them after they leave my program. I will do my best to support them in their school activities through being there in person, encouraging them in words, or listening to them talk about their experiences.

I believe that education isn’t just about what you are teaching in your classroom while they are with you; it’s about what they learned from you after they leave your classroom.